Shumlin's second inaugural address stresses education

Gov. Peter Shumlin, center, is congratulated by Chief Justice Paul Reiber, left, following his inauguration to a second term on Thursday, in Montpelier. At right is his daughter, Olivia. (AP photo)

Friday January 11, 2013

MONTPELIER -- Gov. Peter Shumlin devoted his second inaugural address Thursday almost entirely to education, calling for stronger high school math requirements and college tuition breaks for science, technology and math students.

"Success in the new economy depends on an educated workforce with skills beyond high school in science, computer technology, engineering and math," the Democratic governor told a House chamber packed with lawmakers, state officials, Vermont's congressional delegation and others.

"I ask you, ‘Is Vermont prepared to meet this challenge? Are we ready to harness the opportunity so critical to our future prosperity?' The plain truth is we are not," the governor said.

As solutions, Shumlin called for strengthening education from preschool through college. His proposals included:

-- $17 million in new funding to help lower-income families with childcare, nearly double what the state spends now. "There is no bigger obstacle to Vermont parents who want to work or advance than the high cost of quality childcare," Shumlin said.

-- More money -- he didn't say how much -- for free school lunches for children from low-income households.

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-- An expansion of a program that allows students to combine their senior year in high school with their first year of college. "For more than a decade, 40 students a year have done this at Vermont Tech, where they concentrate on science and technology with great success," Shumlin said. "Having only 40 kids in this program is a paltry number."

-- Tuition breaks for students at the University of Vermont and state colleges who study science, technology, engineering, math and related fields.

-- An increase in funding for the University of Vermont that would cancel out, for Vermont students, a recently announced 3 percent tuition increase for next year.

The governor said Vermont "falls off the rail in high school math," with only 36 percent of 11th graders testing at proficient levels. He blamed that on too few schools making algebra and geometry graduation requirements, and said he wants to require all Vermont students take those courses.

But some lawmakers said the first math problem the governor himself may face is how to pay for his proposals.

Both Sen. Kevin Mullin, R-Rutland, and Rep. Chris Pearson, a Burlington Progressive, said Shumlin may draw opposition to his plan to pay for the $17 million childcare initiative by taking money from the state's earned income tax credit, which reduces taxes for lower-income working Vermonters.

Mullin said some "working poor" may lose out, while others who have children would benefit from increased childcare subsidies.

Pearson said that even before Shumlin announced his new proposals, revenues for fiscal 2014, which starts July 1, are forecast to fall as much as $70 million below projected needs.

Shumlin and legislative leaders have said they don't want to raise broad-based taxes, such as those on income and sales, to close the gap.

But Shumlin said in his address that Vermont's economy is ready to take off once the state can provide enough technically skilled workers for the employers who want to hire them.

He cited a recently announced economic development in far northern Vermont, a region known as the Northeast Kingdom, in which the owners of the Jay Peak ski resort have announced expansions there and at Burke Mountain. He also noted plans for a new biotech company and high-end window maker coming to Newport.

"Under my proposal, high schools and tech centers in the Kingdom would become an innovation zone and would be able to shift current generic course requirements to focus on those that provide the training the region needs," he said.

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